2. Personal Computing PCs will gradually fade out of view in favor of tablets Breakthrough in tablet/viable iPad competitor will include camera and USB port The only way to truly “replace” laptops
3. The Future of Apple Apple will continue to dominate tablet market for foreseeable future Steve Jobs’s retirement will not change the company because they likely have a plan in place reviewed by him Company’s image may change further down the line iPad 3 will have just as much (if not more) sales
4. The Future of Facebook Facebook has been successful and will likely remain so (increasing in popularity) Social media will homogenize the Internet Twitter will remain a leading competitor
5. Other Social Media Trends An increase in “check in” type apps Privacy will be an issue Google’s purchase of Zagat
6. The Cloud The cloud will increase as a file-storage method Physical media to decrease in favor of cloud/streaming
7. Other Internet Media VOIP will increase at the expense of first traditional telephones and then cellular phones Interactive media experiences will become more popular
Editor's Notes
HP’s movement away from the PC market was a big signal as to that niche’s eventual demise, since HP had such a huge amount of market share and had been hugely successful.
Steve Jobs’s leaving Apple probably won’t have a huge impact at first because he handpicked the current CEO and likely has some kind of plan going forward that he signed off on. When that plan runs dry, though, they may falter.
Facebook is very popular and continues to grow. It has an enormous member base and has shown no signs of slowing. Many websites have the ability to “like” their content via Facebook, so we predict that this trend will spread so that more websites will allow users to share their browsing habits via social media.
The “real life” check-in apps where someone can automatically post where they are at all times will increase. We predict this will lead to an increased outcry about Internet privacy because so many of our online and offline movements will be broadcast to everyone. The safety of children on these networks will especially be talked about. Google’s recent purchase of Zagat will probably be turned into a social media-type venture (perhaps a combination of check-in and allowing people to add their own reviews)
Google and Apple have already detailed their cloud programs, and especially with tablets like the iPad being looked upon as laptops without hard drives or any way to store locally (i.e., a USB flash drive) the cloud looks poised to take over. Likewise, sites like Hulu and Netflix will become more of a way that people watch movies and TV shows rather than buying physical DVDs. However, people and companies will soon learn how expensive bandwidth is, and it will be less possible to completely replicate a physical media library over the Internet. These sites will probably eliminate or cut back on the content they offer for free as the Internet becomes the primary mode of consumption.
As many people get rid of their landlines in favor of cell phones, many people will start using VOIP in favor of cell phones. This will be especially important when calling internationally (which will only increase). Companies will have to come up with even better incentives to draw people towards their product. Interactive media sites like Pottermore will catch on as a blend of social media and story media.
